Surgical instrument positioning device

Abstract: A device for positioning a surgical instrument having an elongated portion (18) the device comprising a housing (12) having an opening (19) therethrough to receive the elongated instrument portion (18) and an actuation member (14) mounted to said housing (12) and movable between a first position and a second position. The actuation member (14) overlaps a portion of said opening (19) in said second position to prevent movement of the elongated portion (18) of the instrument. The actuation member (14) may be movable along a plane parallel, perpendicular or lateral to a longitudinal axis of the surgical instrument.

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a trocar including a device for positioning a surgical instrument, and more particularly to a device for locking the position of a surgical instrument during an endoscopic surgical procedure. Such a trocar is disclosed in US-A-5171245. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In endoscopic or laparoscopic procedures, surgery is performed through a small incision in the patient's body. The incision provides access for a trocar or cannula device which allows insertion of various surgical instruments including, for example, retractors, scissors, and clip appliers. In some surgical procedures, the surgical instrument is inserted directly through the small incision and into the body cavity. During endoscopic and other surgical procedures, it is often desired or necessary to lock the position of such a surgical instrument positioned in a body cavity. While several devices have been proposed for locking the position of a trocar or cannula device few instruments exist which are configured for locking the position of a surgical instrument inserted either through a trocar or cannula device, or directly through the incision itself. One example of a device for locking the position or supporting a trocar is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,073,169 and includes a membrane having an aperture for receiving the trocar, an outer flange portion and a bellows-like portion positioned therebetween. The membrane of this device is adhered to the body and forms a substantially tight fit and seal with the trocar. A cannula skirt for immobilizing a cannula or sheath inserted into a body during a laparoscopic surgical procedure is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,137,520. In this device a torsional spring may be attached to the skirt around the skirt stem and adjusted to increase friction between the cannula and skirt to lock the cannula. Another device for positioning a trocar is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,217,441 and includes an inner housing which receives the trocar cannula and threadably engages an outer housing. Rotation of the inner housing causes gripping fingers positioned thereon to be cammed by a surface on the outer housing thereby locking the position of the trocar cannula. Notwithstanding the foregoing disclosures, there presently exists a need for a surgical hand instrument locking device which provides convenient, reliable locking or positioning of such an instrument during an endoscopic surgical procedure. The present invention provides such a device for locking the position of a surgical instrument. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a trocar as defined in claim 1 below. It is generally accepted that endoscopic procedures are more common than laparoscopic procedures. Accordingly, the subject invention shall be discussed in terms of endoscopic procedures and apparatus. However, use herein of terms such as "endoscopic", "endoscopically", and "endoscopic portion", among others, should not be construed to limit the present invention to an apparatus for use only in conjunction with an endoscopic tube. To the contrary, it is believed that the subject invention may find use in any procedure in which access is limited to a small incision, including but not limited to laparoscopic procedures. In accordance with the present invention, a device for locking the position of a surgical instrument during a surgical procedure is provided. Each embodiment of these devices locks the position of the surgical instrument positioned therein by frictionally engaging the elongated portion of the surgical instrument. In one configuration, the device comprises a housing having an aperture extending therethrough, and a mounting assembly for mounting the device to a trocar. The housing aperture is configured and dimensioned to receive the elongated portion of a surgical instrument. The actuation member is movable between a first position in which the surgical instrument is unrestrained from longitudinal movement and a second locked position in which the actuation member selectively locks the surgical instrument by frictionally engaging a portion of the instrument. The actuation member may be pivotable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the surgical instrument. When pivoted, the actuation member engages the surgical instrument against an interior wall of the aperture thereby locking the position of the surgical instrument positioned therein. The device may include a mounting assembly for attachment to a trocar housing, but the features of the device could also be implemented directly into the trocar housing. In one embodiment, the device includes a pair of pivotally attached legs with a spring mounted to and extending between each of the legs. The legs are movable between an open position which allows placement of the device around the elongated portion of the surgical instrument and a locked position which locks the position of the surgical instrument relative to a trocar or other structure. The spring mounted within the legs biases the legs in their second position, but the legs are movable to the first position by overcoming the tension of the spring. Brief Description of the Drawings The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description explain the principles of the invention. The drawings may be briefly described as follows: FIG. 1 to Fig. 10 are cancelled. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a surgical instrument positioning device; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a first leg of the surgical instrument positioning device shown in FIG. 11; FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a second leg of the surgical instrument positioning device shown in FIG. 11; FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a surgical instrument positioning device; FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the leg of the surgical instrument positioning device shown in FIG. 14; FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a further alternative embodiment of the surgical instrument positioning device; FIG. 17 is a front view of yet a further alternative embodiment of a surgical instrument positioning device; FIG. 18 is a side view of the positioning device shown in FIG. 17; and FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the positioning device of FIG. 16 shown mounted adjacent a trocar cannula and having an elongated surgical instrument positioned therein. Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiments In the drawings and description which follows, the term "proximal", as is traditional, will refer to the end of the apparatus which is closest to the operator, while the term "distal" will refer to the end which is furthest from the operator. An embodiment of a device for positioning a surgical instrument is shown in FIGS. 11 to 13 and is generally designated by the numeral 200. The device 200 includes a first leg 202 and a second leg 204 pivotally attached thereto, the legs 202, 204 being constructed of any suitable material, for example, a plastic material. The first and second legs 202, 204 each include a squeeze portion 208 for squeezing by the user to move the legs 202, 204 relative to each other. The upper portion of the first leg 202 includes a pair of oppositely positioned, cylindrical pin retainers 230 and 232 which receive a pin 206. The pin retainers 230, 232 are configured and dimensioned to receive the pin retaining member 228 of the second leg 204 therebetween and further to receive the pin 206 which extends through the pair of pin retainers 230, 232 and pin retaining member 228. A recessed portion 234 is formed between the pin retainers 230, 232 of the squeeze portion 208 to accommodate the base 236 of the pin retaining member 228. As best shown in FIG. 12, a spring post 216 extends from the inner surface 218 of squeeze portion 208 of the first leg 202 for engaging a spring 220, which is preferably a coil spring, for biasing the squeeze portions 208 of the legs 202, 204 in a direction away from each other. The first leg 202 has a pair of arms 210 and 212 extending at an angle from the squeeze portion 208. The outer surface 205 of the squeeze portion 208 is contoured to enhance actuation of the squeeze portion 208 by the user. An opening 214 is formed between the arms 210, 212 and is configured and dimensioned to receive the clamping member 242 of the second leg 204 therethrough during assembly. A clamping member 222 having a relatively flat clamping surface 224 and a rounded outer surface 225 extends from the arms 210, 212. The clamping surface 224 provides a surface for clamping and engaging an elongated portion of a surgical instrument to lock the position thereof. The clamping member 222 terminates in an engagement member 226 which engages with the engagement member 227 of the second leg 204 to retain the legs 202, 204 against themselves and against the bias of the spring 220. The second leg 204 is configured similar to the first leg 202 and includes an actuation member 240 having an inner surface 243 and an outer surface 244. An arm 246 is angled relative to and extends from the lower portion of the actuation member 240 and is configured and dimensioned to be slidably received within the opening 214 between the arms 210, 212 of the first leg 202. A clamping member 242 extends from, and at an angle relative to, the arm 244 and includes a clamping surface 246 which works in combination with the clamping surface 224 of the first leg 202. A concave portion of V-shaped notch 248 is formed laterally in the clamping member 242 and in the clamping surface 246 and enhances gripping by increasing the number of contact points of the clamping surface 224 and 246. A rubber pad 249, formed of Santoprene® or other elastomeric material, may be adhered by an adhesive to each of the clamping surfaces 224 and 246 to further enhance the gripping of these surfaces. The clamping members 222 and 242 are movable between a first position where the engagement members 226, 227 are biased by the spring 220 against each other, and a second position where the bends 221, 223 of the first leg 202 and second leg 204 are approaching each other and a first opening 229 is created between the engagement members 226, 227 and second opening 231 is inserted between the clamping members 222, 242. In use, for example in a laparoscopic procedure, a trocar is placed into a patient and a surgical instrument is inserted through the trocar cannula assembly and advanced to its desired position. The positioning device 200 may then lock the position of the surgical instrument in that desired position by first squeezing together the actuation members 240 of the first and second legs 202 and 204, respectively, to overcome the bias of spring 200 and to move the clamping members 222 and 242 to their open position and around the elongated portion of the surgical instrument. To lock the position of the surgical instrument, the device 200 must be positioned adjacent the trocar cannula assembly which provides a base for preventing movement of the device 200 further in the direction of the surgical site. When the positioning device has been properly placed relative to the trocar assembly and around the elongated portion of the surgical instrument, the actuation members 240 may be released thereby allowing the legs 202 and 204 and clamping members 222 and 242 to return to their biased and closed position with the elongated instrument portion securely gripped by the clamping members 222 and 242. Another embodiment of a device for positioning a surgical instrument is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 and is generally designated by the reference numeral 300. The device 300 includes a first leg 302 and a second leg 304 pivotally connected by a pin 306, although the legs 302, 304 could also be integral. Since the legs 302 and 304 are identical parts, only one leg 302 will be discussed. A spring 336, which is preferably a coil spring, is mounted to a spring post 338 which extends from an inner surface 340 of the shoulder 316. The first leg 302 has a top surface 308 from which extends a substantially cylindrical, pin receiving member 310. The second leg 304 also includes a substantially cylindrical pin receiving member which is received in a recess 311 of the first leg 302. An actuation surface 312 which in this embodiment is rounded and includes tabs 314 extends laterally from the shoulder 316 of the first leg 302. An arm 318 extends from the shoulder 316 and includes a first member 320 also angled relative to the shoulder 316 and a second member 322 which is angled relative to first member 320. The arm 318 terminates in a engagement portion 324 having an engagement surface 326 to engage against the engagement surface 328 of the second leg 304. The inner surface 330 of the arm 318 includes a substantially V-shaped clamping member 332 having a clamping surface 334 for gripping the elongated portion of the surgical instrument. A rubber pad 335 may be adhered to the clamping member 332 to enhance the gripping and clamping of the clamping surface 334. The remainder of the device is the same as described for the previous embodiment. Referring to FIG. 19, the surgical instrument positioning device 300 is shown positioning a surgical instrument 301 having an elongated portion 303 relative to a trocar cannula assembly 305 and further relative to a surgical site. In use, the device 300 is positioned adjacent a trocar 305 and around the elongated portion 303 of a surgical instrument 301 by squeezing the actuation surfaces 312 of the legs 302, 304 toward each other thereby overcoming the bias in spring 336 to create an opening sufficient to receive the elongated portion 303 of the surgical instrument 301. Release of the actuation surfaces 312 causes the clamping surfaces to clamp around the elongated portion 303 and lock its position relative to the trocar cannula assembly 305. A further embodiment of a surgical instrument positioning device is shown in FIG. 16. In this positioning device 400, the legs are elongated and of slender construction and are identical in this embodiment. Each leg 402, 404 includes an squeeze portion 406 for enhanced movement of the legs 402, 404 by the user. The bottom portion of each of the legs 402, 404 includes a recessed portion 408 configured and dimensioned to receive an attachment member 410 which, in this embodiment is a leg spring, and is bent around the recessed portion 408 of the legs 402, 404. The attachment member 410 attaches the legs 402, 404 to one another and also biases the engagement portions 416 of each of the legs against each other. A gripping portion 412 is formed by a cavity and in the inner surface 414 of the attachment member 410. An engagement portion 416 is formed in the bottom surfaces of each of the legs 402, 404 which engage against one another in that portion. Referring to FIGs. 17 and 18, yet a further embodiment of the surgical instrument positioning device 450 is shown. In this positioning device a pair of legs 452, 454 pivot about a pivot pin 456 and which overlap at an overlap portion 468. Each leg 452, 454 includes a clamping member 458 which preferably is formed by a pair of clamping arms 460, 462 which form a gripping portion 464 configured and dimensioned to grip the elongated portion of a surgical instrument therein. A spring 466, which in this case is a tension spring, biases the clamping members 450 of each of the legs 452, 454 into engagement. The positioning device 450 is shown in phantom in FIG. 17 in its opened positioned wherein the legs 452, 454 have been squeezed to overcome the bias of the spring 466. The claims which follow identify embodiments of the invention additional to those described in detail above.

Claims: A trocar which includes a housing having a passageway therethrough for receiving an elongate portion of a surgical instrument and a device (200) for positioning the surgical instrument relative to the trocar, the device comprising: a retaining mechanism to engage with the surgical instrument, the surgical instrument being positionable at least partially inside the trocar; wherein the retaining mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position to engage the instrument and secure the instrument relative to the trocar; the trocar being characterised in that: said retaining mechanism includes a first (202) and a second (204) leg pivotally connected (206) at a first end and movable between the first and second positions, a biasing member (220) mounted to said first and second legs, said biasing member biasing said legs relative to each other, an aperture positioned between said first and second legs, said aperture receiving a portion of the surgical instrument, each of the first and second legs having a respective engagement portion (226, 227) associated with said aperture with a clamping surface (224, 246) for frictionally engaging a portion of said instrument from opposed sides thereof, to prevent movement of the instrument portion positioned therein. A trocar as recited in claim 1, further comprising a resilient member for biasing said retaining mechanism. A trocar as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein each of the first and second legs includes a squeeze portion (208). A trocar as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the clamping surfaces (224, 226) are faced with a rubber pad (249). A trocar as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the clamping surfaces are V-shaped to engage an instrument of cylindrical form.

Inventors: AZARBARZIN KOURASH, LOPEZ-ISA MARIA E, MCCARTHY ANDREW J, PAUL JOSEPH M, RETHY CSABA L, THEROUX MARC J, URBAN CARL T, AZARBARZIN, KOURASH, LOPEZ-ISA, MARIA E., MCCARTHY, ANDREW J., PAUL, JOSEPH M., RETHY, CSABA L., THEROUX, MARC J., URBAN, CARL T.
Applicants: UNITED STATES SURGICAL CORP, UNITED STATES SURGICAL CORPORATION
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A61B17
IPC codes: A61B19, A61B17